GRAHAM — Tim Matthews pointed to a pair of 35-millimeter movie projectors in the projection room of the Graham Cinema.

“Basically what they are now is boat anchors,” he said of the metal monstrosities.

The means by which theaters show movies is changing and those involved with management of the historic cinema are working to stay abreast of the latest technology.

They have little choice.

Since 2008, the movie industry has witnessed a rapid transformation to digital projectors. Not long ago, it was believed it’d be at least another five years before digital projectors replaced 35-millimeter ones. That’s no longer the case.

Jennifer Talley, who owns the Graham Cinema along with her husband, Chuck, said it’s now believed that as early as this fall, movies will be released only in digital format. Presently they’re released digitally as well as on 35-millimeter reels.

When the move to digital is complete, theaters must upgrade to digital projectors or go out of business. This is a particular strain on small, second-run movie houses like the Cinema that operate on shoestring budgets.

It’s estimated a digital projector for the Cinema will cost a minimum of $60,000.

Matthews, a former owner of the Cinema who still oversees the theater (Jennifer Talley refers to him as “The face” of the Cinema) has been in the movie business since 1967 and has seen plenty of changes in the industry. He said despite the cost to upgrade a theater with a new projector, he welcomes the switch to digital.

The price of admission to the Cinema is being upped to $4 to help pay for the new projector. For years – with the exception of the showing of special movies – a ticket cost $3.

On his well-listened-to joke line (336-226-1488), Matthews acknowledged plenty of customers have expressed displeasure with the Cinema’s price increase.

“We’ve got to buy a projector, OK?” Matthews pleads with callers.

He said he’s got friends who own second-run theaters in other cities who plan to close once movies are released only in a digital format. They don’t make enough money, Matthews said, to buy digital projectors.

Talley said she asked movie companies to continue producing movies in 35-millimeter format. “They didn’t listen to me,” she said, laughing as she spoke.

“You have no choice,” Talley continued. “You can’t get a movie in 35-millimeter format. What can you do?”

She said it’s her understanding that production companies make more with digital movies because distribution costs are considerably cheaper than with 35-millimeter movies.

Page 2 of 2 - Matthews said the Cinema will – unlike many theaters – keep its 35-millimeter projectors even when they’re replaced with digital. He said over the years he’s purchased a number of 35-millimeter movies and said the old projectors will remain at the movie house should they ever want to have a screening.

Matthews said the switch to digital will result in job losses. Whereas a projectionist has to oversee the operation of a projector showing a 35-millimeter movie, that’s not the case with a digital projector.

“You can program them to come on at 7 and 9:30 and you don’t even have to be in the booth,” Matthews said.

Of the industry, he said, “They’re moving along, you know?”

Meanwhile, Talley said she hopes residents of Alamance County continue to support the Cinema despite the theater’s hike in price of admission. She said she and her husband plan to eventually replace all the seats in the theater and continue a renovation.

The price of a new digital projector, Talley said, cuts into the money they’d planned for that work, though she said it’s still coming.